{"id":2564,"date":"2026-07-09T20:32:39","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T15:32:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=2564"},"modified":"2026-07-09T20:32:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T15:32:39","slug":"what-to-know-before-walking-into-a-car-dealership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=2564","title":{"rendered":"What to Know Before Walking Into a Car Dealership"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"--rs-view-gap-s:2;--rs-p-block-s:2\">\n<div class=\"View_root__LrrXO View_--flex__Gptpp View_--direction-row__d4BvM\" style=\"--rs-view-gap-s:3\">\n<p>Written by<!-- --> <!-- -->Jordan Rosenfeld<\/p>\n<p>|<\/p>\n<p>Edited by<!-- --> <!-- -->Amen Oyiboke-Osifo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--rs-view-gap-s:6\">\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Buying a car in 2026 already looks different than it did just a few years ago. Inventory has largely recovered from pandemic supply shortages and buyers have more tools than ever to compare prices. Yet, experts say many consumers still walk into dealerships unprepared, focusing on the wrong numbers and exposing themselves to unnecessary costs. <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" data-cms-widget-id=\"in-content-CAU\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-forms allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" src=\"https:\/\/products.gobankingrates.com\/pub\/0384a803-638e-43ac-86db-b124b9c8ab88?utm_campaign=what-car-buyers-need-to-know-this-summer\" width=\"100%\" id=\"contentful-iframe-embed-2rqjf1O8Dd2sIEPZo4h7Bs\" title=\"In-Content CAU - Revops (2rqjf1O8Dd2sIEPZo4h7Bs)\" height=\"658px\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"border:none;display:block;max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;overflow-clip-margin:0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Before you start <a style=\"color:#0f6161\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moneylion.com\/trending\/money\/think-twice-before-buying-these-japanese-cars\/?utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=c3-related_link_|_c4-features&amp;medium=rss&amp;campaign_id=c3-related_link_|_c4-features\" class=\"Actionable_root__gYRbW Link_root__f6YnY Link_--variant-underline__ewwU2 Link_--color-inherit___v63X\"><span style=\"display:inline\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--weight-bold__PDVlx\">shopping<\/span><\/a> this summer, here&#8217;s what industry insiders say you need to know.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\"><strong>Up Next: <\/strong><a style=\"color:#0f6161\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moneylion.com\/trending\/money\/cars-that-plummeted-in-value\/?utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=c3-related_link_|_c4-features&amp;medium=rss&amp;campaign_id=c3-related_link_|_c4-features\" class=\"Actionable_root__gYRbW Link_root__f6YnY Link_--variant-underline__ewwU2 Link_--color-inherit___v63X\"><span style=\"display:inline\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--weight-bold__PDVlx\"><strong>These 6 Cars Have Plummeted in Value<\/strong><\/span><\/a><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\"><strong>Trending Now: <\/strong><a style=\"color:#0f6161\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moneylion.com\/trending\/money\/genius-wealthy-people-know\/?utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=c3-related_link_|_c4-advertorial&amp;medium=rss&amp;campaign_id=c3-related_link_|_c4-advertorial\" class=\"Actionable_root__gYRbW Link_root__f6YnY Link_--variant-underline__ewwU2 Link_--color-inherit___v63X\"><span style=\"display:inline\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--weight-bold__PDVlx\"><strong>9 Subtly Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money \u2014 That You Should Do, Too<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"scroll-margin-top:5rem\" id=\"know-your-numbers-before-you-shop\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-title-4--m__TbTu_ Text_--variant-featured-2__NZyQc\">Know Your Numbers Before You Shop<\/h2>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Many buyers work backwards when shopping for a car, by finding the cars they want before considering their <a style=\"color:#0f6161\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moneylion.com\/budgeting\/?utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=c3-in_content_link_|_c4-lite_account&amp;medium=rss&amp;campaign_id=c3-in_content_link_|_c4-lite_account \" class=\"Actionable_root__gYRbW Link_root__f6YnY Link_--variant-underline__ewwU2 Link_--color-inherit___v63X\"><span style=\"display:inline\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--weight-bold__PDVlx\">budgets.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Start &#8220;with your budget, not the vehicle. Too many people find the car first and then try to make the payment fit,&#8221; said Ashley NeSmith, owner of <a style=\"color:#0f6161\" href=\"https:\/\/cardealhelp.com\/\" class=\"Actionable_root__gYRbW Link_root__f6YnY Link_--variant-underline__ewwU2 Link_--color-inherit___v63X\"><span style=\"display:inline\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--weight-bold__PDVlx\">Ashley the Auto Advocate<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Take into consideration all the costs associated with the car, such as insurance, fuel, maintenance and then consider your own income and debt situation. <\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">She reminded buyers that a<a style=\"color:#0f6161\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moneylion.com\/trending\/money\/how-you-should-answer-question-car-dealers-always-ask\/?utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=c3-related_link_|_c4-features&amp;medium=rss&amp;campaign_id=c3-related_link_|_c4-features\" class=\"Actionable_root__gYRbW Link_root__f6YnY Link_--variant-underline__ewwU2 Link_--color-inherit___v63X\"><span style=\"display:inline\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--weight-bold__PDVlx\"> car payment<\/span><\/a> can look affordable when it&#8217;s spread over 84 months, but seven years is a long time to be paying for a vehicle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Additionally, newer cars, luxury vehicles and longer commutes can all add costs you didn\u2019t plan for, according to Michael A. Klitzke, Esq., the CEO of <a style=\"color:#0f6161\" href=\"https:\/\/www.autolawfirm.com\/\" class=\"Actionable_root__gYRbW Link_root__f6YnY Link_--variant-underline__ewwU2 Link_--color-inherit___v63X\"><span style=\"display:inline\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--weight-bold__PDVlx\">Auto Law Firm, PC.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">If you want a concrete way to approach it, Nick Mintzias, CEO and founder of <a style=\"color:#0f6161\" href=\"https:\/\/www.drivershub.com\/\" class=\"Actionable_root__gYRbW Link_root__f6YnY Link_--variant-underline__ewwU2 Link_--color-inherit___v63X\"><span style=\"display:inline\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--weight-bold__PDVlx\">DriversHub<\/span><\/a>, said, \u201cWe typically recommend not spending more than 20% of your income on a car payment.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"scroll-margin-top:5rem\" id=\"stop-shopping-by-monthly-payment\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-title-4--m__TbTu_ Text_--variant-featured-2__NZyQc\">Stop Shopping by Monthly Payment<\/h2>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">One of the most common and expensive mistakes buyers make is focusing only on the monthly payment, NeSmith said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">For one thing, dealers are trained in ways to \u201cpush you beyond your comfort zone on the total price, monthly payments, interest rate and\/or optional products,\u201d Klitzke said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">That&#8217;s why NeSmith tells her clients \u201cto focus on the <a style=\"color:#0f6161\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moneylion.com\/trending\/money\/suvs-with-highly-reliable-engines-that-are-most-affordable\/?utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=c3-related_link_|_c4-features&amp;medium=rss&amp;campaign_id=c3-related_link_|_c4-features\" class=\"Actionable_root__gYRbW Link_root__f6YnY Link_--variant-underline__ewwU2 Link_--color-inherit___v63X\"><span style=\"display:inline\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--weight-bold__PDVlx\">vehicle price<\/span><\/a>, the trade value, the interest rate, the loan term and the total out-the-door cost.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" data-cms-widget-id=\"in-content-CAU\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-forms allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" src=\"https:\/\/products.gobankingrates.com\/pub\/0384a803-638e-43ac-86db-b124b9c8ab88?utm_campaign=what-car-buyers-need-to-know-this-summer\" width=\"100%\" id=\"contentful-iframe-embed-2rqjf1O8Dd2sIEPZo4h7Bs\" title=\"In-Content CAU - Revops (2rqjf1O8Dd2sIEPZo4h7Bs)\" height=\"658px\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"border:none;display:block;max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;overflow-clip-margin:0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"scroll-margin-top:5rem\" id=\"research-prices-financing-and-vehicle-history-before-you-visit\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-title-4--m__TbTu_ Text_--variant-featured-2__NZyQc\">Research Prices, Financing and Vehicle History Before You Visit<\/h2>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Experts overwhelmingly agree that preparation is the single biggest advantage consumers have. <\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">&#8220;Do your research. No two dealers are offering the same price on the exact same car,&#8221; Mintzias said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">He also urged price shopping across regions since regional markets vary. <\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">&#8220;Buying a car is an emotional purchase and it&#8217;s very easy to overpay for a car once you&#8217;ve already committed to yourself that you want it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Also be well versed in other key financial information, NeSmith said, such as <a style=\"color:#0f6161\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moneylion.com\/credit-builders\/cb-plus\/?utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=c3-in_content_link_|_c4-lite_account&amp;medium=rss&amp;campaign_id=c3-in_content_link_|_c4-lite_account \" class=\"Actionable_root__gYRbW Link_root__f6YnY Link_--variant-underline__ewwU2 Link_--color-inherit___v63X\"><span style=\"display:inline\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--weight-bold__PDVlx\">credit score<\/span><\/a>, budget, the car\u2019s trade value \u201cand have a general idea of what the vehicle they want is actually selling for in their market.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Klitzke added to look out for open recalls on specific vehicles as well to avoid getting saddled with a lemon or a huge maintenance cost.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"scroll-margin-top:5rem\" id=\"read-every-document-and-question-every-fee\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-title-4--m__TbTu_ Text_--variant-featured-2__NZyQc\">Read Every Document and Question Every Fee<\/h2>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">The paperwork stage is an easy place for buyers to lose money, Klitzke said, particularly in an age of electronic documents.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">&#8220;If the system is just jumping to the signature line, that is bad,\u201d he warned. &#8220;Always read the purchase contract line by line to see if anything was added.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">It\u2019s not uncommon for dealers to add \u201coptional\u201d items to contracts and claim they are not optional, he said. This can be anything from paint protection and tinted windows to extended warranties.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">In simpler terms, NeSmith said, &#8220;Don&#8217;t buy anything you don&#8217;t understand.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"scroll-margin-top:5rem\" id=\"use-your-leverage\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-title-4--m__TbTu_ Text_--variant-featured-2__NZyQc\">Use Your Leverage <\/h2>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Contrary to popular belief, today&#8217;s buyers may be in a stronger negotiating position than during the inventory shortages of recent years, as long as you\u2019re willing to shop around, NeSmith said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">&#8220;The dealership that thinks you&#8217;re only talking to them negotiates very differently than the dealership that knows you&#8217;re comparing offers from several competitors,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Mintzias agreed, adding, &#8220;There is more access to every market like never before and with the data readily available, dealerships are forced to compete to get a sale more than ever.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\">Generally speaking, informed buyers get the best outcomes. Be sure to do your research, ask questions and compare multiple offers so you can drive away with the right vehicle and no surprises.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\"><em>This article was provided by<\/em><a style=\"color:#0f6161\" href=\"http:\/\/moneylion.com\" class=\"Actionable_root__gYRbW Link_root__f6YnY Link_--variant-underline__ewwU2 Link_--color-inherit___v63X\"><span style=\"display:inline\" class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--weight-bold__PDVlx\"><em> MoneyLion.com<\/em><\/span><\/a><em> for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"Text_root__l8CkT Text_--variant-body-2__q78Vy Text_--variant-body-1--m__3LiHS\" style=\"--rs-text-align-s:start\"><strong>More From MoneyLion:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" data-cms-widget-id=\"native-card-module\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-forms allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" src=\"https:\/\/products.gobankingrates.com\/pub\/e4c9817f-a73a-4332-871e-47d803a4ba0e?utm_campaign=what-car-buyers-need-to-know-this-summer\" width=\"100%\" id=\"contentful-iframe-embed-1quQ3swCPRDuKfS5JVbbAG\" title=\"SmartCards - Syndication - Revops (1quQ3swCPRDuKfS5JVbbAG)\" height=\"1415px\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"border:none;display:block;max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;overflow-clip-margin:0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Written by Jordan Rosenfeld | Edited by Amen Oyiboke-Osifo Buying a car in 2026 already looks different than it did just a few years ago. Inventory has largely recovered from pandemic supply shortages and buyers have more tools than ever to compare prices. Yet, experts say many consumers still walk into dealerships unprepared, focusing on&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/images.ctfassets.net\/38eowqxxlfkc\/50K8GmG5WQlWDmvLXYe7Ca\/f4c9fcfa2bd10ab538d0aefa878159eb\/car-dealership-papers-iStock-641306592.jpg?fm=jpg&q=95&w=1200&h=630&fit=fill&f=face","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-trending-viral-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2564\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}